Tas- a Tasmania

Lake St Clair, Tasmania
(c) fifiheavey

For those thinking of visiting Australia (for work or holidays) I would recommend that you do not overlook Tasmania.

Yes the West Coast is a dream of beaches and surf, the East coast is a secluded marvel and the centre is dry, red and astounding, but 


Tasmania is a surprise you don't want to miss out on.

Even the Aussies themselves forget about Tasmania, for decades it was the haunted island of Van Diemens Land – an English Penal Colony, and although I do recall a few haunting moments from my trip that is the appeal, the sort of mystery shrouding the wild mountains and valleys, the winding roads and small villages of the Tasmanian hide away.

We went out of our way to visit the little Natural Island to the south, we spent over a week there and it was certainly well worth it for some history, hill walks and wildlife with some teeth!

Antarctic ship in the dock at Hobart
(c) fifiheavey

Hobart is the main town and has plenty of charm – including Antarctic explorer ships (Tasmania is the last stop and first one on the way back). It has a super hippy Saturday market and plenty of places to eat and drink.

Tahune Forest Airwalk
(c) fifiheavey

But you do need to get out of the city and I would suggest you first head to Tahune Forest Air Walk. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful forest ramble or are up for a more challenging hike, one of Tahune’s trails is sure to fit the bill. Did you know that some of the tallest trees in the world grow in southern Tasmania? Swinging bridges high above the trees – this is the perfect location for dreaming and to get over your silly fear of heights!

Next up get your walking boots on and prepare to be in awe of the scenery around Lake St Clair. Look up and around Cradle mountain surrounds you, it dominates the area and yet Lake St Clair etches out pretty coves and beaches and is home to some of the rarest wildlife. Watch out for Platypus, echidna or wombats!

Horror movie set at Queenstown
(c) fifiheavey

Visit Queenstown if you want to star in your own horror movie set in an abandoned mine town. We stayed the night is the scariest hotel. It was like something out of an old Western movie every floor board creaked and the steep hill out of town meant making a quick escape very difficult!

Climbing The Nut
(c) fifiheavey

Leave the horror behind and take a chair ride up 'The Nut' to the beautiful views of the volcanic plug before having a delightful lunch at Wineglass Bay where a pink granite mountains rises straight from the sea to form a magnificent sheltered waterway or one of the top ten beaches in the world!

Tasmania Devil
(c) fifiheavey

Of course you will need to take in some Tasmania Devils, I recommend Tasmanian Devil conservation Park. These vicious animals are the size of a small dog, and is the largest carnivorous marsupial – nice to look at not to touch!

And end your awesome tour with a scary visit to Port Arthur – this is one place I would advise against visiting alone – it scared the shit out of me! No special effects, no mad design, no characters, just derelict buildings and stories from 1833- 1877.

Port Arthur was known as an inescapable prison, much like Alcatraz – but of course people did.

Port Arthur
(c) fifiheavey

Think of Tasmania as a Thriller – plenty of shocks and surprises but the ending is very satisfactory.

Photo Vs Video

I have a conundrum. My big trip (it involves a boat ...) is over a month away and although I have a zillion things to think about for it, one item appears to be fogging my brain: should I take photos or a video of my amazing holiday.

Photography or videography?

This is a new issue, brand new in fact from the weekend, I am a photo person, I love photos, I make photo books, I print out photos and frame them, I regularly look back on photos – they make me happy!

But at the weekend I watched a friend's DVD of her trip to the West coast of America some years ago. It was fascinating, we watched on as she and her boyfriend escorted us around Las Vegas, gambled, took shots at Osama Bin Laden (his photo) and we jumped when a lightening bolt appeared on screen as they flew over the Grand Canyon! We awwed as they drove their swanky convertible up the coast, as they examined the interior of Alcatraz at San Fransisco and we laughed about how young the looked.

Despite my array of photos from a similar trip in 2008, they seemed quite inadequate, we certainly didn't show off Vegas like they did, The Grand Canyon looked pathetic, we had just glimpses of the vacation – while they had the full story.

Does video capture more?

Does video kick photo's ass?

In this instance it certainly did. But yet I struggle.

I look back on my photos from that trip regularly (they are in a photo book ...) would I do so with a video? – certainly not.

Photos can be more artistic, more flexible in terms of use but they do not show the full impact. Video can capture sound, more expressions, vastness, depth and you are probably more likely to capture the perfect picture, moment from a constant video than a lucky photo shot.

A Tasmania Devil aggressively feeding on a tail - this would have been more entertaining as a video.
(c) fifiheavey

Yet you will not stop the DVD player to tell a story, you will with a photo, it deserves more dialog – an explanation, some context – what happened next.

Maybe it is time to move with technology – take my photos from the footage filmed – become a youtube sensation ...

Even when taking photos I usually take a few minutess out in places of true inspiration to stare without a camera lens, to trace the image or the scene into my memory, to savor the feeling. Would I be too busy filming to do this, would it take away from the moment?

Could a video have captured this silent, serene scene any better - I think not. Lake St Clair, Tasmania (c) fifiheavey

Still artistic image or fast paced footage? That is the question.

What is the answer?

Maybe a little bit of both?